New Delhi: Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti has hit out at disgruntled BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha saying his remarks against the party leadership during Bihar poll campaign could be part of a "bigger conspiracy".
Replying to questions from Rajat Sharma in the India TV show Aaj Ki Baat, the saffron sanyasin said: "I respect Shatrughan Sinhaji. He went to Lalu and Nitish to congratulate them. There is nothing wrong in that because our Prime Minister also congratulated Nitish Kumar on his victory, but the way Shatrughan Sinhaji made remarks during the elections appears to be intentional.
"Suppose he had some personal grouse, but this was the same party which made him a Union Minister, made him contest Lok Sabha polls, and accorded him respect. What I want to say is: If you look at award 'wapasi' during the entire Bihar polls, the way beef controversy was hyped, Shatrughan Sinhaji's remarks at that time, I feel there was a deeper conspiracy. There was a big packaging to run down Modi ji, the way he is taking the country forward, and raising the nation's respect across the world. Shatrughan Sinhaji's remarks appeared to be part of that packaging, which I consider more serious. That packaging include award 'wapsi' and other controversies".
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Asked by Rajat Sharma, who were behind this so-called conspiracy, Uma Bharti replied: "There were two types of people behind this conspiracy..Leftists and socialists who were down and out because Lalu, Nitish and Mulayam Singh cannot claim they are the true followers of socialist ideology, and the Leftists who were crushed in Bengal, Kerala and other places, and the Congress, which is bereft of any ideology, and which has been rejected by the people of India.
"These people had their influence on media, intelligentsia and academia, they used the entire network, and Shatrughan Singh, whether intentionally or unintentionally, became part of it, I don't know. How can he allege that nobody asked him to campaign in Bihar poll, that's why we will harm the party. This is just like an old adage, my brother may have died, but bhabhiji's nakhras are now no more. At least he should have seen through it."
When Rajat Sharma pointed out that it was Shatrughan who tried to convey his thoughts to the party leadership several times, but was not allowed to, Uma Bharti replied: "I am not saying about him. I am speaking about those who celebrated BJP's defeat in Bihar, and those who contributed to the party's defeat. ..Apart from Lalu, Nitish and Rahulji, there were many, who consider themselves to be part of intelligentsia, and who want to harm Modi. Such type of thinking is very dangerous for the country."
"....There are people in this country who want to lower the nation's image, who want that our nation is made fun of, they feel happy when they see our nation's image lowered across the world. They include people from Congress, from the Leftist ideology and socialist ideology...It is a dangerous conspiracy, the result of which we are seeing in Bihar."
Asked whether it was not true that leaders brought from outside Bihar harmed the party's prospects, Uma Bharti said: "People from outside are there in every party. There were people from Delhi in Nitish and Lalu's parties. There were outsiders in Congress office too. These people work in tandem with local workers. This was a false propaganda about "bahri" (outsiders) and we are victims of that propaganda. In our party, whenever required, workers from across the country converge and fight elections."
On future prospects for the new government in Bihar, the Union Minister said: "Modiji has announced a package for Bihar. Nitishji should ensure the package is fully implemented. Nitishji has a person with him who is facing big charges in fodder scam and he has his bunch of supporters. These supporters had been out of power for so long. Now, Nitishji will have to ensure that he should not be remote-controlled by Laluji. On our part, we (from Centre) will cooperate. Ganga flows through Bihar too. We will fully cooperate."
